The operation, which began Monday and ended Friday, yielded illegal immigrants, people wanted by immigration authorities and immigrants with criminal records. Of the 274 arrested, 99 had criminal convictions, ICE said.

"These operations are a critical element in removing threats to public safety," said Nuria T. Prendes, field office director for ICE's Office of Detention and Removal Operations.

Most of the arrests happened at homes. Some of those taken into custody weren't the targets of the operation but they were in the homes and were found to be in the country illegally, Prendes said.

"Many of these individuals are in the wrong place at the wrong time, many live together," she said.

Police in Dallas, Irving, Fort Worth, Arlington, Farmers Branch, Carrollton and Blue Mound along with the Dallas County constable, helped agents in the operation, according to an ICE statement.

Authorities detained people from Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nigeria, Romania and South Korea. Half of the 274 arrested have already been returned to Mexico, and the others were awaiting deportation proceedings, ICE said.

The minors taken into custody could have left voluntarily if they were from Mexico or released to a guardian, ICE officials said. Unaccompanied minors would be turned over to the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

ICE has two fugitive apprehension teams in the area that regularly target people who can be deported, officials said.